Explorers against Extinction

Explorers against Extinction is a wildlife conservation campaign organised by registered UK charity The Real Africa Trust (No 1149508). The primary aims of the campaign are to raise awareness about the threats facing the world’s most iconic species and their habitats while also raising significant funds for nominated projects pivotal in the battle to protect them.

We are all explorers – you may choose to explore from an armchair on a Sunday evening watching the incredible Blue Planet II, or Levison Wood as he walks the Nile or the Himalayas, or perhaps you prefer to curl up with a good book by your favourite travel writer. Maybe you love to travel first-hand or perhaps you explore your local countryside or beach.

However you choose to explore, the world has never been more accessible or more in need of positive action.

Despite many positive developments in the world of conservation since we launched Explorers against Extinction in 2017, including China’s ban on the trade in ivory, many iconic species including elephants, still face a battle for survival. All five species of rhino remain endangered for example, while 40% of lion have been lost in the last 20 years.

"I'm pleased to support the Explorers against Extinction campaign. Species extinction is such a vital issue."

Sir Ranulph Fiennes

We were honoured to have the support of some of the world’s greatest explorers, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Colonel John Blashford-Snell, when we launched the campaign last year with a unique sold-out event at London's Royal Geographical Society, and are delighted to have already donated £35,000 as a direct result of Explorers fundraising to wildlife conservation projects making a real difference on the frontline, outlined below:

RESULTS

The small, dedicated team at Animals Saving Animals (ASA) focus on prevention. They train and deploy specialist anti-poaching dogs to squads across Africa protecting elephant and rhino. Explorers against Extinction raised £17, 450 for ASA to specifically fund a team of two anti-poaching dogs for Rhino Conservation Botswana and one new tracking spaniel for Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya.

"Next summer, two highly trained rhino protection dogs will join our monitoring teams and the government’s Anti-Poaching Unit on special patrols. They will be the first K9 (canine) team to work as ‘rhino guardians’ in Botswana. The dogs were kindly donated by the Real Africa Trust. We know that the creation of a specialist RCB Dog Squad will make it much harder for wildlife criminals to evade detection. There is no escaping the nose!"

Map Ives, Rhino Conservation Botswana

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2017. This pioneering conservation organisation rescues and rehabilitates orphaned elephants and is dedicated to the preservation of endangered species and the protection of habitats.Explorers against Extinction raised £17, 450 for DSWT - this is enough to fund 11 elephant rescues or care for 2 orphaned elephants for a whole year - fantastic news.

"I wanted to reach out to thank you most sincerely for all your hard work towards making the Explorers Against Extinction event, and the Sketch for Survival auction such a success. That a figure of £17,450 was raised for The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has far exceeded all our expectations and we cannot thank you enough for all your hard work in making it such a success, and for bearing such positive news."

Angela Sheldrick, DSWT

EXPLORERS AGAINST EXTINCTION 2018

Find out more about Explorers against Extinction at the dedicated event website. Sign up for our newsletters to be the first to hear about our 2018 Explorers against Extinction events. Sketch for Survival will return this year and we hope it will be even bigger and better than last year with several exciting new features. We are also excited to unveil a new initiative, Selfie for Survival, specifically to raise awareness and funds for the anti-poaching dogs.

Show your support

1.Shop for Survival - shop at the Real World Store - donation from every purchase to our conservation partners. You can even sponsor an anti poaching dog.

2.Safari for Survival - go on a conservation safari with Real Africa. We make a donation into the Real Africa Trust on behalf of every client travelling with us. What's more we can arrange specific conservation activities and visits for you from meeting the Northern White Rhinos at Ol Pejeta, or spending the morning with the anti poaching dog unit or helping with the lion monitoring programme, to visiting the Sheldrick Trust orphans' project in Nairobi. In Botswana you can meet Rhino Conservation Botswana monitoring teams who are based at particular lodges and find out more about the rhino relocation project. There are many projects and just by going on safari you will be helping to support both the wildlife and communities.

3.Sketch for Survival - sign up to our newsletter to be kept up to date about our nationwide gallery tour and online auction for fabulous wildlife artwork by both professional artists and celebrity supporters. The tour will open at the new Wildlife & Safari Show in Harrogate in September and close in Norwich in November. In addition we will be exhibiting the whole collection at gallery@oxo on London's South Bank for a week in October. Find out more.

4.Selfie for Survival - for less than the cost of a coffee you can support the anti-poaching dogs and their handlers working on the frontline of conservation protecting iconic species including rhino and elephant. Simply snap a close up photo or selfie of you and your dog(s) to send to us, and make a donation to our Just Giving page. Your image will then become part of a huge wildlife wall mosaic to be displayed at all our Sketch for Survival venues. Find out more.

5.Share for Survival - help to raise awareness and tell people about our campaign - please tag @RealAfrica on social media and use any of the following hashtags #explorersagainstextinction #sketchforsurvival #selfieforsurvival #shareforsurvival